1. Field of the Invention
A method of producing selectively induced (or preferential) necrosis in selected tissues or cells is described. More specifically, the preferential necrosis is generated by employing low energy electric fields that are focused at the target cells or cell groups.
2. Description of the Background Art
Various methods exist for killing abnormal cells. However, few, if any, reliable radiological methods exist for eliminating abnormal cells (lymphoma cells and the like) found in close proximity to, or buried within, normal cells without causing significant damage to non-targeted cells. Based on the unusual sizes and shapes of many abnormal cells, compared with normal cells, the subject method selectively induces necrosis in abnormal cells.
The morphological characteristics of a cell's membrane influence transcellular voltage distributions (Eberhard Neumann, Arthur E. Sowers, and Carol A. Jordan, "Electroporation and Electrofusion in Cell Biology," Plenum Publishing Company, New York, N.Y., 1989; Christine E. Miller and Craig S. Henriquez, "Three-Dimensional Finite Element Solution for Biopotentials: Erythrocyte in an Applied Field," IEEE Trans. Biomed. Eng., BME-35, pp. 712-718, 1988; and Tian Y. Tsong, "Molecular Recognition and Processing of Periodic Signals in Cells: Study of Activation of Membrane ATPases by Alternating Electric Fields," Biochimica et Biophysica Acta, 1113, pp. 53-70, 1992). Further, most aberrant or neoplastique cells exhibit substantial morphological deviation, in comparison to their non-transformed cellular stroma (David J. B. Ashley, Ed. "Evans' Histological Appearances of Tumors," Churchill Livingstone, New York, N.Y., 1978 and Catherine M. Keebler and James W. Reagan Ed., "A Manual of Cytotechnology," 6th Ed., American Society of Clinical Pathologists Press, U.S.A., 1983).